There are certain dishes that quietly become non-negotiable whenever you pass through a town, and for me, the special salad rolls at Thap Ba Restaurant in Red Deer are exactly that. I’ve eaten Vietnamese food all over Canada, but these have stuck with me in a way few others have. They’re the kind of thing I start thinking about before I’ve even left my garage. They’re true salad roll perfection—fresh, balanced, and deeply satisfying without ever feeling heavy.

I filmed a quick TikTok about them recently, explaining that (to me) they’re the best salad rolls in the country thanks to the filling also including spring rolls. The video took off, racking up hundreds of thousands of views in a matter of days. Judging by the comments, I’m far from alone in my obsession—aside from a “Karen” or two, naturally.

Naysayers aside, intrigued viewers kept asking where these salad roll–spring roll hybrids were from and what made them so good. The answer is refreshingly simple: Thap Ba in Red Deer, Alberta is one of the only places in Canada doing them this way, and they do it really, really well. The rolls are generously filled, tightly wrapped, and packed with herbs, crisp vegetables, a spring roll, and grilled protein of your choice, all tucked into perfectly hydrated rice paper that never feels gummy or fragile.

Dunked into their accompanying lemon-grassy peanut sauce, the rolls somehow manage to feel both comforting and bright at the same time. They’re ideal road-trip food and a perfect one-handed meal en route—basically a Vietnamese noodle bowl in wrap form. I am obsessed.

If you find yourself passing through Red Deer, Thap Ba is worth the stop, and these salad rolls are worth ordering every single time. Sometimes a viral video just confirms what locals—and repeat visitors—already know: some of the best bites in Canada are hiding in plain sight.